Love Hurts
by freelf13
Summary: Nick finds Jess in need and goes into full panic mode, realizing that he really really can't live without her. Fluff Towards the End, Possibility of More, depending on the reviews! Please review! Tell me if you want it to stop or if you want it to continue!


Nick was seriously disappointed with life. Like always. He hadn't had a girlfriend for weeks and Schmidt and Winston were off somewhere. Bartending never seemed so boring. He sighed resignedly as he made to walk into his room and work on his rapidly nowhere-going novel. He heard something from behind the door across the hall. He waited a few beats in silence. He started to walk away and he heard it again. He crossed the hall.

"Jess?" he knocked tentatively on her bedroom door. No answer, but then another whimper. "Jess."

"Jess?" His voice began to rise in panic. He knocked again. Another whimper.

"Jess! I'm coming in!" He opened the door and looked down. Jess was on the floor. She was wearing a pair of blue checked pajama bottoms and a neon pink and green t-shirt. Her left arm was bleeding, her face was pale.

"Oh My God, Jess!" Nick was terrified. He bent down to the weak girl on the floor and felt her pulse. It was there and steady, but she wasn't well. Nick cupped her face in his hands, trying his best to ignore how soft her hair was because that wasn't the point right now.

"Jess, can you hear me? Tell me what happened. Jess?"

He felt her head twitch.

"I was going to bed and someone was at the window. I…went to open it and…something flew in and hit me on the arm, like a half hour ago. It's over there. The uninjured arm stirred feebly, pointing at the foot of her dresser at a shattered bottleneck and shards of glass.

"I think someone…threw a bottle. I'm not sure though. It looks like a bottle." She said.

"We're getting you to a hospital." Nick said. He got up, closed the window, and yanked a blanket off Jess's bed. Wrapping her in it, he gently lifted her up, knowing she was too weak to walk and stepped to the door. It was only then that he noticed the small pool of blood on her floor.

"Oh My God. Ok, Jess, we're going to the hospital. Calm down, you'll be fine. I promise you'll be fine." She looked so helpless, so hurt. He cradled her to his body and, spontaneously, kissed her head.

"I promise you'll be fine." He said, as he shut her bedroom door on the blood.

Winston, Schmidt and CeCe all burst through the loft door together, each brandishing their phone.

"I got your text!"

"We got your call!"

"Where's Jess!"

"Is she OK?" They looked around frantically.

Nick was pacing the floor beside the couch, where a bandaged and drugged Jess was sleeping. He held out his hand.

"She's fine, ok. The doctor bandaged her up and gave her some painkillers. They said as long as it doesn't get infected it'll be fine." He raked a hand through his hair as CeCe went to the couch. She gently brushed Jess's hair and said quietly.

"What kind of bastard throws a glass bottle at someone?"

"The same kind of bastard who ruins a perfectly good window." Said Schmidt.

"Schmidt!" everyone said, exasperated. He held up his hands.

"It's a good thing you were there, man." Winston said, looking at Jess but talking to Nick.

"But I wasn't there in time, man. If I had seen her sooner she wouldn't be like this!" Nick almost screamed.

"Nick there was nothing you could do." Schmidt said sharply.

"It's that sicko who threw the bottle's fault, Nick!" CeCe said.

"You got her to a hospital, man that's important." Winston said.

"I guess." Nick deflated. He was so angry with himself. He could have prevented this; he could have saved Jess the pain. He left his roommates and CeCe with the sleeping Jess and went to his room, punching his pillow into a comfortable shape before lying down, still very much awake.

Nick's eyes snapped open at the knock on the door. Had he really been sleeping? The last thing he could remember was

"Jess!" She had walked into his room, standing shyly by the door. He scrambled to sit up on the edge of the bed.

"Why are you here, you should be in bed. The painkillers didn't wear off yet." He tried to get up, but she stopped him.

"Yeah, they did, Nick. Like an hour ago. You've been out for three hours." She said as she sat on the bed beside him.

"Really?" He raked his hand through his hair. "Are you…Ok now?"

"Well I mean my arm's still all cut up and stuff, but yeah. Turns out the guy across the way was drunk or something and chucking all his empties out the window."

"Damn him"

"Yeah."

They sat in uncomfortable silence for a bit. Jess turned to him.

"Hey thanks for helping me, Nick. That was really cool."

"Come on, Jess, why wouldn't I've done it."

"I dunno."

"Its not a problem." Nick said, finally.

They sat silently for a while longer.

"I want to be there for you, Jess."

"What?"

Nick leaned forward and Jess' eyes widened, but she did not hesitate. When Nick's lips met hers, she responded with enthusiasm. Her arms curled around his neck as one of his hands gripped her face and the other her waist. The kiss deepened and he wound his arms up her back, hitching them on her shoulders, and she enveloped him in her grip. They broke apart slowly, foreheads still together.

"I've never been more scared in my life."

"What?"

"When you were hurt, Jess. I couldn't handle it if something happened to you."

Jess laughed a little bit.

"I couldn't live without you either."  
"I love you, Jess." He stopped as he registered the look of shock on her face.

"I mean, I didn't, I'm not…" He stuttered, shocked with himself for being so committed so fast. What had Jess done to him?

"Turtle Nick would never have said that." She whispered, her face still expressionless.

"Oh God, Jess-"

"But I'm glad he did." She pulled his face to her and kissed it, almost hugging him instead of kissing him, but meeting his lips all the same. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt this safe and warm and good.

"Turtle man's all mine, now. I love you too."

And this time she kissed him for real, as he dragged her back on to the bed.


End file.
